India FinMin: "Demand For Gold Must Be Moderated"

As we wondered out loud yesterday, many have questioned the disconnect between increasingly burgeoning central bank balance sheets and money printing and the range-bound trading in Gold. It seems the first real hint of why is peeking through as the Economic Times reports the Indian government are growing increasingly concerned at the rate of gold imports. As the India Finance minister stated: "Demand for gold must be moderated... We may be left with no choice but to make it more expensive to import gold. The matter is under government consideration." Gold imports are playing a major part in India's record high current-account deficit (at $20.2bn for the period April to September), down 30.3% YoY thanks to a doubling of the customs duty on standard gold bars (to 4%). It seems the Indian powers-that-be are learning from their US and European leaders that if something is happening in a free-market that threatens the status quo even modestly - crush it with regulation and centrally-planned control. As the article goes on to note, currently, the government is also making efforts to channelise investor money into equities and other financial instruments to reduce demand for the yellow metal.